Your Mail 8-6-13: Be prepared, Louisiana ... Care for those in need

Be prepared, Louisiana

As we enter the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, it is worth taking a step back and ensuring that everyone has a "game plan" in place should a storm hit.

Although we've made it through two months without any storms, we know all too well the devastating impact just one storm can have.

And we're also aware that you just never know when a hurricane might hit.

At the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, we have been working year-round to ensure that we're ready for whatever Mother Nature throws our way.

As part of our preparations, we have been traveling the state with the Louisiana State Police, the Louisiana National Guard and the Louisiana Department of Corrections to meet with local law enforcement officials and first responders on the importance of hurricane preparedness.

Last week, we were in the Lafayette and New Orleans regions to take part in meetings with local officials. In Chalmette, we were joined by Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Gov. Jindal stressed the importance of having a plan in place-not just at the state level, but for folks across Louisiana. He made it clear that if you haven't already prepared for a storm, there's still time. Go out there, get your supplies and get a plan so that you and your loved ones can stay safe in the event of a hurricane.

We are prepared at the state level, and we want to ensure that folks in communities across Louisiana are, too.

Kevin Davis

Director

Governor's Office of Homeland Security

and Emergency Preparedness

Baton Rouge

www.gohsep.la.gov

Care for those in need

Last month, the U.S. House, on a party-line vote, broke with tradition by stripping from the farm bill the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program-food stamps.

What's left in the bill is billions of dollars of subsidies mostly for farming conglomerates. The U.S. Senate passed a much more balanced bill in June.

Over the past 18 years, our government has doled out an average of $7 billion per year of taxpayer funds to support the livestock and dairy industries. Instead, their products should be taxed to reimburse governments for the uncounted billions in increased medical costs and lost productivity associated with their consumption.

Conversely, a sound national nutrition program based on vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fruits and nuts can save additional billions in reduced social costs.

I am all in favor of reducing our national deficit, government waste, and medical costs. But that's not going to happen by taking nutritious food from the mouths of 47 million of our society's least privileged members.

Mitch Nestler

Monroe

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Your Mail 8-6-13: Be prepared, Louisiana ... Care for those in need

As we enter the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, it is worth taking a step back and ensuring that everyone has a 'game plan' in place should a storm hit.